Balmy weather looks set to sweep across Northern Ireland with temperatures peaking as high as 17 degrees.

A weather system moving in from the south and south east is to bring warmer conditions with the mercury starting to rise from the end of this week.

Temperatures are expected to peak around the middle of next week, with Tuesday and Wednesday seeing the hottest conditions. The weekend won’t see temperatures quite so high, but Saturday might give people a Spring in their step as it is the only day in the coming week where blue skies appear like. The thermometer is expected to reach around 13 degrees over the weekend.

A Met Office spokesman said Northern Ireland has been the subject of an easterly wind and low cloud cover which has “suppressed temperatures”, but that Friday will be a “transition day” when the weather system dictating conditions will shift.

More air will begin to come in from the continent from Friday onward, the spokesman said. Saturday will be the “brightest day”, the Met added, but there could still be showers. Sunday could see winds pick up with gusts of 35 to 40mph.

Low pressure coming in from the west will also have a warming affect on Northern Ireland particularly next week, forecasters say.

The Met Office spokesman added: “There’ll be a risk of rain, but temperatures will certainly be above average with an optimum of 16/17 degrees. But it all hinges on the wind direction shifting to bring in that milder air.”

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